To Evanesce
by Leigh42
Summary: (Spoiler: for people who haven't read any of the Mortal Instrument Series) This is a story that takes place some time after the Mortal War. They are getting used to the deaths and changes that happened, and Jace and Clary are glad that things seemed to have slowed down. But they are in for a surprise as a Demon from the past has it out for them, and Clary disappears.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Please let me know if you want more of this story?

Chapter 1:

The rain pounded on the glass, like fingers that were constantly tapping on your skull. A pencil lay dead in my fingers, and sketchpad lay under it, ready to catch any bit of imagination I could possibly spill, but there was none. Sometimes I could stare at the blank page, and the fibers would re-arranged themselves into a face that I desired to draw. Nothing was happening now. I've drawn the faces that I love over and over again. I've captured the thickness of the rim of Simon's glasses. I've caught the hard edge of Isabelle's eyes, much like the hard edge of her whip. I've created the perfect mixture of blue for Alec, and I've even been able to catch the mysterious glow of Magnus a couple of times. Even Luke as he gazes at my mother. And Jace. Always Jace. The glint in his eyes, the curl of his hair that indicated he'd been out all night chasing Demons, or the purse of his lips as a sarcastic comment was about to fall from them. The folds of the cuff of his shirt as he plays the piano, the set of his hands as he examines a weapon intensely.

I needed something new. A new face to draw.

"I think that's the first time I've seen you pick up a pencil in a month." He stands with his sleeves pushed up on his arms as they dig into the pockets of his pants. He has that look, the one that requires his head bent and his eyes looking up so far that his long eye lashes hit his eyebrows, his lips pressed together in one corner, but not the other. I've drawn that too.

I turn and give him a smile over my shoulder. I almost don't hear him come up behind me, his legs folding against my back and his arms coming around my waist. I almost don't hear it, but with having time to look for the sound, I do.

"And I still can't think of anything to draw," I murmur.

"Am I disrupting your genius?"

"No. Not at all." I lean back and press my face into his blonde hair, his lips find my throat. He smells of soap, he always does.

"Do you want to get out of here? We could-"

"No. I promised my mom I'd stayed home today."

"Well you shot that down pretty fast."

"You know I love you, Jace. Just not tonight." I kissed him, I'm not sure where, it got lost in his tangles of hair.

"Okay."

"But you can give me ideas, you know. On what to draw."

"You know, I think it's required that every established artist draw a nude picture-"

"If you're about say a nude picture with a seashell covering up the parts that would be censored on T.V, I will hit you with this sketch pad."

"Yes, that's exactly what I was going to say."

I brought up the sketchpad and hit his forehead with it, but when I pulled it away, he was smiling.

"Okay, before this scene gets any sweeter, Jocelyn wants you two down for dinner." Isabelle said, leaning heavily on the doorway.

"Got it," Jace said. She left.

"C'mon. Let's go." He got up and threw his hands down. I caught them and he pulled me up. My head rushed and I gripped his hands a little tighter. "Clary?"

"I'm fine. I just got up too fast." I blinked a couple times, and took a deep breath.

"Mmmm," he said as we headed out of my room. "I can smell the food."

"You can smell food from a mile away."

"That," he points at me. "Is very true."

We come down to the kitchen. Food sat on the counters and plates stacked up beside it. Isabelle and Simon were sitting on the couch, Isabelle leaning up against him. Alec sat by the edge of the couch, and Magnus, was not only balancing himself on the arm rest, but was again balancing a plate on his criss crossed knees. Jocelyn's legs were thrown over Luke's lap, and he was holding tight to a cup full of water.

Jace casually hands me a plate and I place a piece of pizza on it. The smell was warm an inviting, but the second I turn to sit on the couch my stomach lurches. I set the plate down with a bang and run to the bathroom.

**Jace's POV**

Clary, with a hand clamped over her mouth, rushed to the bathroom. I set my plate down on the counter next to hers, and started over to the bathroom with her. The door slams shut in my face.

"Don't worry, Jace. She probably has that flu that's been going around," Isabelle said. Her voice had a hint of scratchiness to it, the after math of a week of throwing up and drinking saltwater for a sore throat. Simon has gone up and down the institute halls with food and water, you'd almost think she was using him. Maybe she was a little, but I've seen the way Isabelle looks and Simon, and all those thoughts vanish. It was the way I looked at Clary.

A moment later, the toilet flushed, and the door opened. I turn to see a pale face look at me, her eye lids shut halfway to show off shine of sweat on them. Her lips are pressed together tightly, and without a glance in anyone's direction, she fills a glass with water and sucks it down.

"Are you okay?" She nodes fast, and fills up the glass again to wash out her mouth.

"I'm so sorry Clary," Isabelle starts. "I didn't mean to give it to you. I swear I didn't go near anyone."

"It's okay," Clary amends. "I'll get over it soon."

"It's strange, you know? Shadowhunters don't get sick easily," Simon says. He's been reading the _Codex_ like his life depends on it. He wants to catch up with the rest of us, and I continually am humored by how hard he works.

"It's nothing." Clary waves her hand, and just like that everyone goes back to the movie that's playing on the T.V.

She doesn't eat for the rest of the night. Her head lays in my lap, and pull my hands threw her hair. I could never get over how the curls glide between my fingers, each time one would catch the light and give off the shimmer of thousands different strands each having a different tint of Auburn red. Her hair was gradually looking more and more like her mothers, darkening and growing.

"I think I wanna go to bed," she murmurs. Isabelle and Simon are the only ones awake. Magnus and Alec headed for the institute about an hour ago, and I think Izzy and I had the same idea as to not disturb them. Jocelyn fell asleep and Luke carried her to bed, making sure that we were in agreement that I did not stay the night, and that he would have his door cracked and one eye open. I wanted to say that we've already done it, but I felt like that wasn't gonna help.

"I can carry you, like Luke did."

"I would say yes, but I'm afraid I can't deal with the snickering from Simon."

"He just wishes he was strong enough to lift Isabelle," I retort. She cracks a grin.

"He is a lot stronger now, you know. Now that he is a shadowhunter."

"He will always be a mundane to me." I shrug, and it's true. I may not hate him for trying to steal Clary from me anymore, but he will always be the mundane who purposely wore those dorky glasses and tucked in his shirts in so people could see.

Clary rises from the couch and I follow her upstairs to her room. She pulls back the covers and slides in.

"Don't you want to change into pajamas?"

"Wouldn't you like that?" She giggles. "I will in a second." She flattens herself out on the mattress, and both arms come up to hug the pillow.

"I have to get back to the institute. Alec and Magnus have given me the perfect chance to embarrass them."

"Be nice, Jace," she warns. Propping herself up on her elbows she looks at me.

I lean down and give her a kiss. Kissing her always sent a shock up my body, and I didn't even have to think about cupping her face, it just happens.

"I love you, Jace Herondale."

"And I love you, Clary." I lean down closer, right by her ear. "More than I should," I whisper. A smile presses to her lips as I see through her eyes that she is recalling a time that seemed like ages ago.

"Are we still on for that lunch date tomorrow?"

"Of course." I said.

Suddenly the nerves jump in me. I've never gotten this nervous, the only exception was with Clary. She always had been able to provoke feelings inside of me that no one else could. Before I could give her time to catch on, I pulled away and left for the institute.

It was raining, and naturally I didn't have cash or a stele, and I didn't want to wake Clary up to raise a portal of my own. Alec had taken my stele, and the portal they set up was closed. I walked in the rain, my hood drawn and the runes visible on my arms. A couple girls giggled as I walked past them, but unlike a couple years ago, I paid no attention to them.

I made it to institute steps and entered the place. Drips of water fell off of me as I rode the elevator up to the green house. I walked over to the stairs and reaching under it, I pulled out the small bud of a Midnight Flower.

**Clary's POV**

I couldn't understand why Jace has been so withdrawn lately. I lay with a hand on my stomach. It hasn't stopped aching, and it won't stop turning and flipping.

I could hear the voices down stairs and place them as Isabelle and Simon. I couldn't believe they were up this late. Then again, being eighteen, I should be up with them. I've been tired lately, and I think it's because Isabelle passed that horrible flu to me. I couldn't believe she got it in the first place, with shadowhunters being super immune and all.

I roll over on my back, and close my eyes. Happily, I drift off into sleep.

I wake up to silence. No movie, no Simon or Isabelle. A headache pounded in my ears and I listened again, this time more closely to find sounds of someone rummaging in the kitchen. I pull back the covers and go down to investigate.

It's Luke, getting ready for work.

"Hey, kiddo. Why are you up this early?"

"I don't know," I say, and I honestly don't. I'm not the one to get up this early.

"Want some coffee?" he offers.

"Yeah, I'll get it." Luke never makes it right, half coffee and half milk. He has his strong to give him energy to help run the pack of New York Werewolves. "Luke?"

"Yes?"

"Is something wrong, have you noticed anything wrong with Jace?"

"Wrong? Like how?"

"I don't know, he's a bit distant. I'm just worried, with all that's happened in the past..."

"All of that is gone now. Stressing about it won't help, Clary."

"I know." I roll my eyes.

"You look like your mother when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Roll your eyes."

"Good," I say. "My mother's beautiful."

"She is." He nodded in agreement.

"Who is?" My mother comes around the corner.

"Ah, speak of the devil." I murmur low enough for Luke and hear, and he almost spits out his coffee in laughter.

"You are," he answers her with a satisfying smile.

"Well, I'm going back to bed. I don't know why I'm up this early." I shrug and head back up stairs.

**Jace's POV**

I pace the length of my bed. I have barely slept, and now I woke early and can't go back to bed. I've moved the Midnight Flower to my room last night to watch it bloom, but then my insides twisted and I had to bring it back to the green house so I could finally get sleep, even if it was just a couple hours. I've smoothed my hair back countless times, I've attempted to go to the training room and blow some of these nerves away, but I couldn't. All I seemed to be accomplishing was pacing and worrying. I suddenly heard a knock on the door. I already knew who it was when I open it.

In the doorway, stood my _parabati_, dressed in long pajama bottoms and a white tank top. Actually I was pretty sure it was _my_ tank top.

"Is that my shirt?"

"Don't change the subject," he grunts irritably. "I can feel you, you know. Your nerves are keeping me awake. And they're giving me horrible dreams."

"I'm sorry, but I can't pay attention to you unless you answer my question."

"Yes, this is your tank top." He pushed his way through the door, and I let my arm fall. "Thanks for letting me use it."

"Actually, I don't remember loaning it to you in the first place-"

"That's beside the point. You need to calm down about this Clary thing. Okay?"

"You know it's not that easy."

"I know she'll understand. Okay? She's good with that. Don't worry about her reaction. Just get it over with as soon as possible so you can go back to being yourself, okay?"

"I just don't know how I'm even going to break the news to her. I haven't settled on one thing to say."

"Then say them all. The Angle knows you do it all the time." He smirks.

"If I wanted to be insulted I would have called Isabelle."

"And if you wanted to be coddled, you would have locked me out. Now, what can I do to get some sleep around here?"

"It's not like there is a button you can push that will automatically calm me down." I smirk. "That is, unless, you want to look for it."

"Very funny, Herondale. But the only thing I'm looking for is sleep." He turns to my bed and grabs an item off the shelf above it. It's my stele. He takes my arm then, and draws a _calm anger_ rune on my wrist, quite sloppily if I might add.

"That is a sloppy rune, Alec."

"I'm half asleep. And I would like to be fully asleep soon. Now go to bed, Jace." He exits my room.

Slowly, but surely, my pulse slows and my eyelids droop, and I drift off into sleep into my bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**NOTE: This contains action content, but assuming you've already read the mortal instruments, I don't think it would matter.**

**Chapter 2**

I wake two hours later and the clock reads seven. Good enough for me.

I step out of bed, the cold floor sending shocks up my leg. I quickly undress, putting on a pair of pants and a white T-shirt. I considered wearing something nice to break the news, but then again I don't want to raise her suspicions too early.

I walk to the green house again, and grab the little flower bud that lays under the stairs. I can almost smell apples, I can almost see the glint of a knife on the stairs. It makes my throat tighten up when I think of how we first kissed.

**Clary's POV**

I wake up at eleven. _That's more like it_, I think. But I as I look at the alarm clock I realize that I have to meet Jace at twelve.

I bunched my hair into a bun, some pieces lay out of it, and hurriedly walked down stairs. Breakfast was on the table, and I suddenly felt ravenously hungry. I loaded up my plate with waffles and bacon, avoiding the eggs. I ate it quick, sucking it down in record time.

"In a hurry?" My mom asks as she comes around the corner.

"I'm supposed to meet Jace at twelve."

"Well, it's 11:25. And make sure and take a shower." She left the kitchen.

"Okay?" It was odd that my mother told me to do that.

So I did, and after I got out I looked at the clock while towel drying my hair. It read 11:50.

"Oh shit." I mumbled. I pulled on some jeans and that old sweater I knew he loved on me. I threw my hair up and stuck a few pencils in the way artist do when they're trying to cover up their messy hair and make it look like they did it on purpose. At least that's what _I_ was doing.

I grabbed my purse, which held my stele, a dagger, chapstick and wallet. Not the usual contents, but then again, I find myself in very unusual situations sometimes.

I take a cab to Taki's, I tell the cab driver the street instead, and he drops me off after I hand him the money. As I pear down the street, I see a figure in a white shirt and pants. He waves, and my nerves spike. I was a little late.

"I'm sorry I'm late Jace." I hug him tightly, and he hugs me back, although I sense something different about it. It was reluctant to let go.

"It's okay." He took a step back. The smile that was plastered on his face was nervous.

"Is something wrong? You seem nervous."

"No, nothing is wrong."

"You're a terrible liar Jace."

"Only when it comes to you. But that's beside the point, I'll tell you later, okay? But right now, I'm starving."

We enter Taki's and sit down at a familiar booth. Kaelie takes our order, but no longer smiles at Jace the way she used to. It makes a little smug with satisfaction. I didn't think about eating so much for breakfast, so while Jace orders a dish that has mangos on the side, I order a coffee and a small muffin.

"So, I've been talking with Robert, and he says that I'm welcome to move in with him while I find a house."

"But he is all the way in Idris." My mind starts to whirl. Why was Jace looking for houses in Idris?

"Yeah, I know. And he also says that there are a couple that are near the Angel Square. I'm just trying to think of something to move forward to. I think finding work in Idris is better than traveling to another institute."

"Yeah, yeah that sounds cool." I nodded and I got queasy again. Was... was Jace planning to leave me?

"Do you wanna get out of here? I have something back at the institute to give you." _Probably some of my clothes that I've left in his room_... I couldn't believe I was thinking these things. But could he possibly be done with me? After all that we've been through? I guess just because you bare the unbearable with someone didn't mean that they are with you forever, it wasn't a guaranteed contract to keep them by your side.

"Yeah."

"You okay?" He looked at me with curiosity.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're a terrible liar Clary." He flashes a crooked grin.

"Lets just go to the institute." I said, and with a small frown he tried to hide, we left Taki's.

The ride there was silent, although halfway through Jace took my hand.

It took me everything I had not to start crying right there. I wasn't a girl to cry, but I still couldn't believe what I thought was happening. His hand was warm as the rest of my body went cold.

They let us out at what looked like a church to the mundane eye. They left, and with a few glances in each direction, Jace and I entered the institute. His hand was around my waist as he guided me to the green house... _the green house_? What did I leave here?

There was light from the windows, but all around the edges was darkness.

"Jace... what-"

"Wait. Just let me speak," he said.

I nodded and drew in a breath, but unable to stay quiet, I blurted before I could stop.

"Jace, if you're breaking up with me, please just get it over with."

"What?" He says, frozen.

"I don't want a show. If... if you were gonna..." I trail off. "Were you?"

"You thought I was going to break up with you?"

We both look at each other in puzzlement, but a second later, his hands grab my waist to hold himself up from laughter.

"Seriously, Jace. You scared the crap out of me!" I reprimand him, letting go a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Why would I break up with you, Clary? I'm completely in love with you." He says and kisses my forehead.

"Okay, okay. If you aren't breaking up with me, then what is it that you wanted to tell me?" I placed my hands over my face and took another deep breath. I had to calm my heartbeat.

"I wanted to ask you if you would accept this proposal of marriage."

The air froze and so did I.

I uncovered my eyes to see him kneeling down on his knee.

"Wait... what?"

"Clary, will you take this ring." He slips off the Herondale family ring and pinches it between his fingers. "And become my wife? I know you wanted to wait, but I found a great deal with housing in Idris from Robert, and we can continue the training in the Idris Academy if you wish."

"Jace, do you really want to do this?"

"You act as if this is a bad thing. Clary, I already knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, and I again apologize for doing this so early. But I couldn't wait any longer, because I didn't know what I was waiting for. We may be young, and people will judge us for that, but I believe that it only gives us a head start." He let out a breath. "You better answer me or else I'll just keep talking."

I laugh. "Of course." It comes out weak and shaky, so I clear my throat. "Of course, Jace. I love you, and I will marry you."

He takes the ring and places on my finger, it slides on easily with a little room to spare.

"It's a little big," he observes.

"I can always put it on a chain if I think it'll fall off."

I wrapped my arms around him and he lifted me off of the ground.

"There are some people waiting for you," he murmurs in my ear.

We headed down the institute halls. It feels different now, like I'm not walking in the same body. I came down as Clary Fairchild, but now I guess I was a Clary Fairchild- Herondale. _Herondale._

We came into the part that held Downworlders. It was created so we could give aid to those who were in trouble, but it also protected the rest of the institute. My mother, Luke, Simon and Izzy, and Alec and Magnus were standing in a group. The minute I come around the corner my mother rushed over to me and envelopes me in a hug, griping my hand that has the ring on it. Of course I wouldn't have to tell her I said yes, they already knew.

"Clary, I'm so happy!" she cries into my hair.

"I still can't believe..." I mumbled. I look over her shoulder to see Simon patting Jace on the back. Luke gives him a half hug, and then Isabelle wraps him up in a hug as tuff and tight as a chain link rope.

I let go of my mom, and eventually she let go of me. Simon was there when I turned around and I entered into his warm and familiar embrace.

"So does this mean we can't go shopping in time square anymore?"

"Why would it mean that?" I said into his neck.

"Because, you'll be married and all..."

"Just because you're married doesn't mean I won't have time for my best friend. I promise I'll go shopping with you for Christmas, Simon."

"Okay." He held me tighter. "I'm so happy for you, Clary."

"Thanks." I giggled and we let go of each other.

I hugged Izzy, and Alec even gave me a half-shoulder hug. Luke put a hand on my shoulder, he was beaming.

"I also have news." Luke began, and everyone looked at him. "I've talked with Robert Lightwood, in I have found a small couples home by the Angel Square. You two can move in there if you would like."

"Move to Idris?" I say in exasperation. Only a while ago did I think Jace was leaving me to move there. How could I have been so clueless?

"Do you want to?" Jace looks at me with a lighthearted curiosity, but only I can see the pleading in his eyes.

"Yes."

**A month later**

"Is that all of the bags?"

"Yeah, I think it is," I say to my mom. We set them down by the front door, and I look up to find her beaming at me. "What?"

"I can't believe you're actually moving out. It's actually happening."

"Well, don't cry yet. If you do, I will too." Her smile gets a little wider before she picks up the bags and starts handing them to Luke who is going back and forth to the car to load them in. Jace, Izzy, and Simon are all down in Idris right now, looking at the house. I haven't seen it yet, but I trust Jace's judgment, and Luke's.

"And that is the last of them," my mother says and she hands the last two bags to Luke. I sling my purse over my shoulder and hug my sweater to me. It's been getting colder, since we were now in the month of November.

"How many rooms?"

"Three," Luke replied. "One for you and Jace, one for your art room, and the other for Simon because you know he's not going to like leaving you."

"Oh no." I shake my head. I love Simon, but I don't think I could put up with him as a roommate for long. Izzy wouldn't allow it anyways...

We load up in the car. We plan to draw the portal at the institute, a safer way to escape the eye of a mundane. Plus, Luke had to check in with Miah.

There had been some destruction down in one of the stores in time square. We accused it of a mundane breaking, but when Luke had checked it out, there was ichor on the corners of the walls, and acid eating away at the wooden counter. It hadn't been a mundane attack, but we couldn't figure out why a demon would have such interest in a souvenir shop.

Luke played some of his old music after he checked in with Miah. No more attacks have been made.

We drive to the institute. When I wasn't concentrating, out of the corner of my eye the institute looked like an old run down church. But as I flicked my eyes up, the giant spirals and windows took form.

We loaded all of the bags into the institute. There was Magnus, one hand on a swirling blue portal, and one hand with two bags in it.

"Hurry. I'm tired," he says irritably. That's the only way he talks now, unless Alec is around.

Luke and my mom and I grab bags and run through the portal.

Idris explodes before my eyes.

I stumble a little, but a pair of hands with long fingers catch me.

"Easy there." His voice was easy, soft.

"Oh, Clary. You'll love the house!" Izzy gushes. "The mirrors aren't big enough, but I can definitely help you with that. And I'll help you decorate your room. The Clave usually gives you the necessities, so we will have to go shopping." I swear, I could see Jace's eyes get huge for a moment, and possible an inward sigh. I don't know what he was worried about, I was obviously the one who would have to accompany Isabelle.

"And it's two story with a cool basement," Jace added.

"Well, instead of telling her, let's show her." my mother encourages. We eventually grab bags and head out.

Alicante was as beautiful as always. It was now restored back to its original look after the war, and the tone was calm. People went in and out of shops, sitting on the stairs of The Accords Hall, and kids spilling out from the Idris Academy.

We walked for a little, pointing out things. Memories tried to force themselves on me, when Jace and I ran through the portal when we weren't supposed to, to fight the Dark Army. I pushed that, and many others, down in the folds of my mind, and hoped they stayed there. This was a new beginning, and there was much I was happy to leave behind.

"There," Jace said. "That one."

I look up to see a huge house. Ivory with white trim, and a porch with stairs. It was like a normal house, although I know that the house was infused with a_damas_.

"The inside is completely different. It's beautiful," Isabelle reassured.

"The outside is beautiful too," I say.

We walked up to the front door, and Jace threw it open.

The inside was dark and rich. The wood twisted and turned, and the walls were dark. The kitchen counters were black with lightening gold veins. To the right was the kitchen, a room on the left. A bathroom was beyond the kitchen, and a stair case lead up to the second floor on the right.

"It's great."

"I hope you would like it." Jace spoke in a hushed voice. I turned around to find the others had shown my mom and Luke more of the rooms. Jace and I lingered in the kitchen.

"How can I not?" His arms wrap around me.

"I would have moved into the Herondale manor. But I'm not sure I can yet. And maybe, down the road, we can." He kisses my cheek. "And plus. They haven't touched a thing in there, so it's probably really dusty."

"Well, considering how clean you keep your room, I'm hoping I'll be the cook while you be the clean?"

"But you can't cook."

"I can make it look good?"

"I'll be the cook, the clean, and you go out into battle and kill stuff. We can switch roles."

"Don't get all sexist on me, Jace."

"No, I'm not. I'm being serious, I like it when things kill other things."

"Speaking of things, killing other things," Izzy comes out of nowhere. "That cat is being even more lazy than usual."

"Is that possible?" Jace asks.

"Apparently. Mice have been taking over in the institute like crazy. I need some traps." She crosses her arms.

"I know where to get some. We use them all the time." Luke says, talking about the werewolf hangout.

"Really? I thought you guys just chased them yourselves," Simon joked. Luke made a face, one that he always makes when someone makes a joke about his nature as a werewolf.

"No, Simon," Luke sighs. "That's not how it works."

We all leave then, after I see the bedrooms. I contemplated on the way out whether or not it was selfish to imagine one of the rooms as an art room rather than a guest room or even a future child's room.

We head back home. The Clave has made it acceptable to take as many trips as we needed. Apparently, for the people who stopped the Mortal War, they were willing to make lots of exceptions.

"I'll take Isabelle and Simon to the store," Luke announced. Jace, my mom, and I were at the house.

"Clary and I were going to times square. Isabelle said there were some shops were we can buy dishes and things like that."

"Translation: I'll be looking at stuff while he investigates the demon break in," I interject as I put on a different coat.

"I begin to wonder if any secret is safe with you." Jace says.

"Glamour yourself and it should be fine," Jocelyn said.

"Whose side are you on, mom?" She laughs and continues putting the dishes away.

"Mine. Obviously. C'mon, Clary. I can't wait to look at glass cups." I roll my eyes and take Jace's hand as we head out to time square.

The evening went about the way I expected it to. He went with me to a couple stores, but I ended up making the final decision alone as he went to check out the demon attack. I finally found him while carrying out a big box of glass cups.

"Jace, the plates are in the store on the counter."

"Got it." he says.

"What did it look like?"

"The place is trashed. But there is some kind of pattern on the back of the store, you should check it out."

"Okay."

The box wasn't that heavy, but I was guaranteed to drop it if I had picked up the box of plates too. I carried the box around the corner, only to be face to face with an Eidolon demon.

I didn't have time to drop the box of cups, the demon slams into me and throws me back five feet. The box of cups shatter on top of me and create a barrier between it and me for a couple seconds. My hands automatically go to my belt, but I have nothing there. _Jace has the seraph blade_. _Yours was in the last coat you wore._ I freeze, when I realized that I had changed. And then I take the dagger out of my purse and stab the thing in the eye, which is a human eye, but its mouth was a ripple of two inch razor sharp teeth, and it had two holes for a nose.

It lets out a scream and I push the broken glass up in its face and roll away from the demon. I roll out from under it. Glass rains down on my face from my hair, and I can't open my eyes. My skin feels cut and I feel blood trickle down my face. I stumble to the side as a searing pain spreads through my eye, and I am suddenly in another pair of hands. I know it isn't Jace because even though the fingers are long, they are double the size with bone tough talons. A screech echoes in my ear, and I can't hear anything.

I'm tossed around, and several pairs of hands clam on my no matter how hard I kick of scream. There is probably six demons holding me down, and that's only the ones I can feel. Before they can clamp a hand around my mouth, I scream.

"_Jace_!" I yell, and a sticky hand wraps around my mouth and doubles around to the back of my head, barely leaving space for me to breathe out my nose.

They shake me ravenously, and I feel my head hit the ground. I feel a hot pain spread through my head, down into my spine, and tingle into my toes, and all at once, I can't feel a thing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Note: PLEASE answer my polls, and review, doesn't matter what you write, it's just nice hearing from you guys I guess :/ :). I'm taking ideas for the plot!**

**Jace's POV**

As I walk to the store to pick up the plates, I pause at the door when I hear a loud crash. _Clary_? I think automatically. Did she drop it? Was it too heavy?

And then I hear a scream for my name. It chills my blood.

I let the door go and race to the back of the store that got broken into. First, I see a box of shattered glass spread out across the floor. And then I see eight Eidolon demons latched onto Clary's limp body. Six more stood in the way between me and her, one had ichor streaming down its face and a dagger in its hand. _Clary's dagger_.

My _seraph_ blade was in my hands in a second and two of the demons were down in a few more seconds to follow. I ducked out of the way of a slick hand with four inch claws, and sunk my blade into the stomach of another. I pulled it out, and with an arch, I sweep it down and slice a demon in half. Two more advanced on me, and as I swiped one away, the other came up behind me and latched onto my waist. I struggled with its arms, but finally twisted around and speared it in the skull, making it vanish into black mist as the ichor sprayed from it.

I looked up, and all I see is a vanishing portal.

"_Clary!_" I sprint, but all I hit is a brick wall.

She's gone.

**Isabelle's POV**

"So, you put these in all the corners?" I ask Luke. Luke nodes.

"Yeah, just put peanut butter on them, set them back, and then when they snap it means you've caught a mouse."

"With my luck, that new stupid cat will get caught in them all."

"Or you'll snap your finger off," Simon says.

"And that's why you will be setting these."

"Only if you open those canned biscuits." I laugh.

"Deal."

"Okay, guys. Time to go." Luke grabs several packets of rap traps.

"Actually, I wanted to do some shopping," I say. And before they can interject to stay, I say, "You know, for girl stuff."

"We'll be in the car," Luke says, and hands me money. He and Simon leave without a glance behind them. I let out a breath and scanned the isle for what I was looking for.

I couldn't believe how much things we picking up with Simon. I found myself excited more and more each day to see him and be with him. We weren't just a couple, we were a team. But I wasn't sure what we would be now.

I found the section that I was looking for.

Pregnancy tests.

**Jace's POV**

I practically broke the door down as I flew into Jocelyn's apartment.

I had tried to find Clary. I made a portal rune, but I ended up stumbling into a dessert. No one was insight. I went back to the store, and picked up her dagger. I tried a tracking rune, and even though I wasn't physically able to be where she was, I could see what she was seeing, and that was nothing. It was pitch black. She must have been knocked out.

Jocelyn takes in a startled breath as her torso turns in my direction. The kitchen knife she was holding is now up and in front of her, and her legs are placed for balance. For someone who hasn't been an active shadowhunter, her instincts are still impressive.

"Clary's gone," I say in a defeated voice.

"She's... what? Where? Where is she?"

"I don't know. We got attacked by Eidolon demons behind the souvenir shop. They took her through a portal before I could get to her. I've tracking her, but they have a physical block, and reaching her through a portal won't work either." _I don't know what else to do. And it's killing me_. I wanted to say.

Anything that has gotten away from me, a demon or forsaken, was always running from me. But the difference was that I could see them. I had a way to reach them. But I couldn't think of a way to reach Clary.

Jocelyn freezes. If she wasn't a former shadowhunter, the knife would have fallen from her hands and she would have slouched. But she takes on a straighter posture, her mouth presses into a thin line, and her eyes light up. Clary does the same thing, when she is dealing with something bigger than herself.

"Get Magnus. I'll call Luke and have him bring the kids here." She tosses me a cell phone and receives a landline phone for her.

I dial Alec's number. I didn't have to think about it, my fingers did it automatically. I explain to him what happened, and he and Magnus were in the apartment in seconds. Jocelyn got off the phone with Luke; he, Izzy and Simon were on their way.

"Do- do you know, why?" Jocelyn asks in a small voice.

"No." My voice is thick, and harsh. "I have no idea. I didn't even know they were there."

Alec puts a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find her. She can't be that far."

"She can be anywhere," I shot back at him. I instantly felt bad for it, Alec didn't deserve it, but I didn't know how to conduct myself this time. I've always been able to control everything about myself, but now that the reality of Clary's disappearance was slowly sinking in, I didn't know where I would be in an hour or two. I needed to be on my feet. I needed to be chasing something, killing someone. But what could you do when you didn't know where to start?

"I'll do a tracking spell. Where ever we need to go to find her, we will." Magnus nodded toward me.

Luke came in through the door in a hurry, throwing the grocery bags down by the couch. He went straight to Jocelyn, to hold her, and then turned to us.

"What are we doing? Have you started the spell yet?" He demanded.

I looked over at Simon and Izzy. Isabelle stood with her arms crossed. And Simon was a wreck, but the look that he gave Izzy was incredulous. There was definitely more going on with them than I knew about.

"I'm just about to start," Magnus said, answering Luke.

**Clary's POV**

I didn't wake up for a while.

I drifted off into dream after dream. Most of them had to do with the wedding. Except, as I walked down the aisle, it slowly turned into the back of the store in New York. Another dream was when Jace stole my wedding dress so I was forced to walk down the aisle in a tuxedo, while he shimmered in gold by the alter. Another was when I was chained to a chair while I watched Jace get married and have kids, right in front of me. I saw Simon and Izzy leave, even when I desperately wanted them to stay so I could keep in touch with them. And finally, when what I thought an eternity was finally over, I woke up.

All I saw was white. Everything was completely white. The shadows of the walls came into view, and I felt around me. I was on a bed. No blankets, just a mattress on a carpeted floor. The lights were at least twenty feet above me, deeply imbedded in the ceiling. I wore a simple white dress. Everything was white. _Everything_. Except myself, and my hair. There was an outline of a door, but no nob or even a window. I went over to it, or attempted to, because my legs felt week and I fell the instant I stood. I tried again and again to stand, and when I finally could, I walked over to the door. I pushed and pushed, I kicked and I pounded, but I knew that it wasn't going to open. But I also knew that I couldn't help but try.

I screamed and hit the door in frustration. _I needed out of here_. I've never felt so hopeless before. It was always me who went to get Jace. Or my mother and Luke and the rest of the council members. I've never really been trapped, not like this. Not physically. And it was maddening.

_You have not witnessed madness yet, Clarrisa Fairchild._

"What?" I said, looking around. No one was there. It was almost like the way a silent brother communicated, except the notice didn't bounce off my skull, it bounced off the walls.

_Pounding on the door will not do you any good. Please don't ruin your beautiful hands. You'll be needing them soon._

**Isabelle's POV**

The enchantment didn't work. Once we got all the corners lit up, and the final piece was done, the circle of flames went limp like dust and smoke clouds swirled above in the air. It just went out, in the blink of an eye.

"Magnus?" Jace asked.

"I don't know what happened. It hasn't ever done that before," Magnus explained, looking puzzled.

"There has to be another way. Can we try again?"

"I can't," Magnus said. There was tiredness in his voice. "I won't be strong enough to do another one until tomorrow, and that is if you want the tracking spell to be strong."

"Did the demons leave behind anything? Anything at all?"

"They can't leave behind anything, Simon. They're demons, they vanish back to hell." Jace's voice was sour, as if he bit into an un-ripe plum. But no one blamed him, not really. Even Simon didn't take a great offense to his tone, even though I'm sure Simon might be suffering as much as Jace right now. Maybe a little less, considering Jace was white in the face already. Everything about him was tense, taught, and ready for action. Except there wasn't much we could do really. Except report it to the Clave.

"Do we report this?"

"Of course," Luke said. "We can hopefully get details on the break in at the shop, maybe there are some leads? Maybe the same demons who broke in are the same who took Clary." Jace flinched microscopically at the words _took Clary_. "I'll call the Clave and have them clear a portal entrance to Idris so we can speak to them. But I doubt they'll have time for us, an annual meeting is coming up. They may post-pone it 'till tomorrow."

Jace was eerily silent. I almost was expecting him to yell at Luke, tell him that it was unacceptable, and I'm sure he would, if he had a voice. I wanted to throw my arms around him, like we used to do as kids, (even though it ended in him pushing me away and storming up to the train room), but I refrained from it. Jace didn't look like he wanted to be approached by anyone unless they had a plan of action. So I let him be, and Alec and Magnus stayed with him. Magnus was already sleeping on the couch by the time Simon and I headed back to the institute.

We walked. I had hoped that this may be the time to talk about what had happened in the car, but he stayed silent. Even when I grabbed his hand, he didn't squeeze back as hard as he usually did. And I didn't blame him, losing your best friend an hour ago was a hard thing to take.

We finally get to the institute. It was beginning to get less and less strange entering into it with him by my side, instead of meeting up with him in the downworlder section when he had been a vampire. I missed him being a vampire sometimes, I even missed the biting a tiny bit.

"Okay, Simon. Let's talk," I finally said as we get to my room. "I know you know."

"Why did you get pregnancy test, Izzy? Do you think you're pregnant?"

"I don't think so, Simon. I just missed my period. But I'm not that regular all the time, so I'm just making sure."

"And what if you are!" he explodes. "What are we going to do? First Clary, and now this?" He was shaking.

"Simon, calm down. I haven't even taken the test yet, so we don't know for sure."

"Can you take the test then? It's killing me not to know."

"Okay, okay." I unwrapped three of them and headed into the bathroom.

**Jace's POV**

"What are they saying?" Luke raises a hand halfway, but then stops as he listens to what they had to say. Finally, he puts down the phone.

"It'll have to be post-poned. The meeting it taking up their time. They said shadowhunters go missing every day, so the issue won't be high on their list."

"But she's not just some shadowhunter!" I explode.

"Jace, if I could make them understand that, I would. Nobody is special to them, not really."

"She should be, she stopped the Mortal War! She is important, not just to us, but to them too. They are too stubborn, they see a chance to seize power and then they hold it over your head like we're a bunch of dogs!" I slam my hand down on the counter and turn to leave the house. I hear Luke reach for me, but Jocelyn grabs him before he can touch me. I hear her whisper _leave him be_, and she's right. I didn't want to talk to anyone.

I storm from the house and take my stele to draw a portal rune. I portal to the souvenir shop.

I sweep the area over again, looking for anything that might give me a clue. The ichor is gone, and there is a spray of blood, just a tiny spatter of it, in one place that had bits and pieces of glass. I sit next to the mess, trying to think of anything I could do.

We've reported it to the clave, but without any tracking spells, or any ideas as to where they would take her, they might not be any help. But if the demons that had anything to do with the break in were the same ones who took Clary, then they might have information that we can use to track them instead of her.

And that's when I remembered.

_"__The place is trashed. But there is some kind of pattern on the back of the store, you should check it out."_ I had told her. But in a rush to look for blood, or anything that you could hold in your hands, I forgot about the pattern on the back of the store.

I was on my feet in seconds, and ran over to the corner of the building that held the pattern there*. I mentally took a picture of it in my mind, and took a portal back to Luke's apartment.

**Isabelle's POV**

"So how long?"

"Not that long. Maybe a couple minutes or so?" I guessed.

Simon took a breath and sat down on my bed. Shock took less time to fade away on Simon, which meant the physical appearance didn't take long either. His eyebrows haven't stopped furrowing in over and hour, his muscles were tense, and his cheeks were sucked in from him clenching his jaw. And not only that, but he seemed to find out about the pregnancy tests at the wrong time. I was holding the bag when Luke was on the phone with Jocelyn, and I had dropped it when I heard the way Luke sounded on the phone, only because I've heard of that tone of voice before. Simon felt them bounce into his leg and just as he was about to ask me why in the hell I had dumped pregnancy test in him, Luke told us that Clary was missing.

"Simon?"

"Yes?"

"I know this is a stupid question, but, are... are you okay?"

"You're right," he sighed. "That is a stupid question."

"I mean, is there anything I can do?" I've never felt so useless with Simon. I wanted to hold him too, but I'm not sure that's what he wanted.

"You can make sure that the test comes up negative." He gives a nervous laugh.

"You know that whatever happens Simon-"

"I know. And I want you to know that I'm not some jerk that would abandon you, right?" For a second he sounds like a normal Simon, but as I face him his face is still pinched tight.

"I know. You're never a jerk to me."

"Are they done?" he asked again, impatiently.

"Yeah. They should be ready." I walk over to the bathroom and pick up the pregnancy test.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**NOTE: Short chapter, sorry. PLEASE answer the polls... thanks :)**

**Clary's POV**

The voice hadn't spoke to me again. And when I woke up from a sleep that I didn't know I needed, food was set on a white platter. It was pizza, with an apple. There was also a flimsy plastic water bottle. I noted that there was no hard plate, and no utensils. I ate the food, feeling ravenous.

But what I wasn't expecting was a bottle of lotion.

Did they really mean for me to keep my hands in shape?

I squeeze down on the bottle, and a squirt of white comes out. It smells of cherry blossom.

_Use it. Keep your hands moist._ They ordered, so being the person that I am, I continued to wipe it off on the ground. A small amount of victory wiggle its way into my chest. Of all the things I wanted to control, like where I went, putting on lotion was one choice I could actually make. And I was making it.

**Alec's POV**

"Are you better? That took a lot of energy from you."

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Alexander." I found that he used my whole name when he wasn't in a bad mood, not that he was particularly good mood. I set a glass of water down on the side table next to his chair in his apartment. "Was that how you were like?"

"What?" I asked.

"When I was missing. Was that how you looked?" His expression was mixed with curiosity and a little pity. "Jace looked already torn to pieces, and it hasn't even been two hours."

"Yeah." I nodded. "That's pretty much how it went."

"If you want to be with you _parabati_, I understand. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can. But I also know Jace. He'll battle with himself until he doesn't care anymore, and then he'll get drunk and end up beating up a downworlder, probably a werewolf, and I'll have to come in and settle it. But that happens around two in the morning, so I've got time. But then again, this kind of thing has never happened before."

Magnus chuckles low. "One day, if I'm lucky enough, I wish for you to have me figured out down to a tee."

"I already do," I whisper. "Oh, and I found Chairman Meow in the alley again."

"Unfaithful bastard." Magnus grumbled.

"It would help if you stopped traumatizing him, you know. Just a little. You're even scaring the mice away."

"The cat can't process what it sees." He waved the comment away with his hand. "Plus, you always see those signs that require shirts and shoes, they never require pants. It isn't my fault that I'm following the rules."

I roll my eyes, and Magnus cracks a smile.

"What?"

"Oh, it's nothing. You just look so much like Gideon, when you do that."

"Who's Gideon again?"

"An old friend." Magnus said fondly, and I felt a little jealous. But I didn't let it show. It was stupid how jealous of Magnus I got. But it wasn't really about him, it was about everyone else. It's not like I could make everyone blind to him, and I'm sure it would humor Magnus to see my try. I was getting better though, we both were.

"What do you think we should do?"

"About Clary?" He asked.

"No, Magnus. About this weather, it's just terrible."

"You know, I'm not sure that you acquiring my dry humor is entirely a good thing."

"But do you think the clave will pay enough attention to it?" I returned to the subject.

"I don't know. They seemed pretty generous letting Jace and Clary move to Idris when lots of institutes could have used their help, but this matter is entirely different. I think they'll file it but I don't think that, until it starts affecting them as a whole, they'll start to take action."

"It'll drive Jace mad."

"Poor thing." Magnus mused. "He loves her so."

"I know." I wondered off into a time when I used to be angry with Clary whenever she walked into a room that Jace was in. Jace's eyes would light up, and follow her around like she was a once-in-a-lifetime view of the stars.

**Isabelle's POV**

The tests were negative.

I tried to search in myself, some part of me that was disappointed, and maybe I was a little, but I mostly felt relieved. I didn't need to deal with being pregnant while we went mad trying to find Clary. And Simon was very relieved, more than I was.

"It's negative Simon. You can stop hyperventilating."

"Oh." Simon breathed. "Oh thank god." He sat on my bed, which was a funny sight to see. A boy in black clothes sitting on a feathered pink comforter, with matching pillows.

"I know. But we can't let this happen again? Understand?" I look sharply at Simon.

"Well, it's not like I meant for it to." He gave me an eye roll.

"I know, but I don't need to deal with this while we figure out where Clary is. Okay?"

"Okay." He nodded. I don't think he realized that I had just told him _no sex_ but I really don't think he would care.

"Is that my phone?" I wondered aloud as I heard a ringing.

"Um... yeah. Here it is." Simon tossed me the phone. The caller I.D read the name Jace. I picked it up.

"Jace?"

"Isabelle, I found something." His voice was urgent.

"You- what? You found something! What is it?" Simon looked at me curiously.

"It's a demonic symbol that was imprinted on the back of the building."

"Jace, people draw on buildings all the time..." My energy level lowered.

"No. This is different. It's a symbol of some sort. I can't place it though, I've never seen it. It's almost like the times when Clary draws new runes, it looks like a rune but you don't really know what it is until she tells you. I've put a memory rune on myself, so I can recall it. I'm coming to the institute."

"Okay, I'll see you in a minute." I hung the phone up and recited to Simon what Jace had said. His eyes got wide as I finished.

"Do you really think it's something?" He asks.

"I don't want to think Jace is crazy until he actually is, and I think he might be on to something. But the only problem I can think of is proving its significance. Gang members can draw stuff all the time."

"Yeah, but what are the chances that one would appear on the store, that not only demons came out of to take Clary, but one that had been raided by demons earlier?"

"Maybe the ichor was from a curious demon and the raiding was from humans who thought it was funny to leave a mark behind to show their power and symbol."

"How can you explain the demons that took Clary?"

"They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

"Why are you down playing this? This could be something real."

"I know. I just don't want to get my hopes up, that's all.

"Okay, c'mon. We're meeting him in the kitchen because I'm starving."

**Clary's POV**

I couldn't tell the days anymore. My sleeping was messed up, but it had felt like I had been here a week. The food was the same over and over again. I puked twice after the last meal. I grew tired more often, and wondered if they had put a time spell on the room. Something to make the days go faster or slower.

Then all of a sudden, it hit me.

A huge stabbing pain right in the middle of my stomach.

I buckled over, my hands cradling it like I could help it in any way. My teeth gritted together, holding back gasps and screams. The white walls seemed to dance around me as I rolled onto my side. The pain was a blanket, smothering me, leaving nothing behind but a searing sting. I felt my breath leave me, and panicked as I couldn't breathe. My body began to jerk as the oxygen inside was being pulled away, farther and farther. I jerked up to see the bottle of lotion standing perfectly still, and decided that I needed it like it was a glass of water after a day of walking in the dessert.

My hand reached out to it, my thumb smoothed over the top of it and pressed creamy white liquid into my cupped palm. I didn't know how I knew what I was doing, I just did it. I smeared the lotion on my stomach, where a black spot had materialized. The pain went away, almost instantly, but I continued to rub it in. The whiteness of the lotion disappeared, and I felt better.

_Better?_ The voice asked.

I didn't reply. I felt sick all of the sudden. What was I thinking? Of course they wanted me to use the lotion, I bet it wasn't even lotion! I mentally smacked myself for not thinking, regardless if I was in pain or not. Shadowhunters weren't supposed to do that, they were supposed to be wary of everything, even if it called out to them.

I flipped to my back, letting the pressure slide from my stomach. The room was quiet again, no voices, just my ragged breathing. It was times like these that I really did miss Jace. And Simon. And Izzy. And my parents. Magnus. And Alec, I even missed him too. But Jace hit me in a spot no one else could. It was a dull ache that threatened to choke me every now and then.

**Jace's POV**

I ran up the steps of the institute. Isabelle and Simon were in the kitchen, making sandwiches. If it were a different case, I would have commented on Izzy's horrible ability to screw up anything food related, but the words wouldn't come to me.

"Isabelle." I call to her and she jerks her attention to me.

"You're here!" She runs over to me.

"Get me a piece of paper, please." She pulls out a napkin and an old pen. Good enough. I draw the symbol on the napkin, shading it parts and making lines thicker. As I draw Simon comes to get a closer look.

"So this is it? The symbol you saw?"

"Yes. We need to take this to the clave. Right now. Get Magnus to draw a portal."

"Alec's with him, but Jace please sit for minute. You're sweaty." I look down at myself and see wet spots seeping through my shirt. My breathing is heavy, but I didn't think about anything but getting to the institute before the memory rune wore off.

"No, I'm fine."

"Do you really think they will listen? I mean, we've already reported the absence. I'm not saying that we shouldn't go, we should, but would it be worth it?"

"Robert has to listen." I shake my head. "He has to."

"You never know." There was small twinge of bitterness in Isabelle's voice. I didn't blame her.

"I'll call Alec. Transfer this onto a real piece of paper, will you Izzy?"

"Sure." She takes the napkin and walks off to find paper. Simon starts cleaning the kitchen, and I take out my phone. Alec answers on the first ring.

"Get Magnus and meet me at the institute." I say as a greeting.

"Okay." He hangs up, not questioning anything. That was one of the good things about Alec, once he trusted you, he trusted you completely.

I sit down on the chair and slow my breathing. I had called Jocelyn on the way, and she and Luke were on their way to the institute. Marse was away in Idris, so I guess we would meet her there.

It felt abnormal to sit here and do nothing. Simon had the kitchen cleaned, with the exception of a couple dishes. I contemplated on whether or not to help him, to have something to do, but I decided against it. I couldn't go to the training room, I just had to wait.

_I don't want to wait._ I thought angrily. If I did, I would start thinking about what happened. And while that was always on my mind, it still felt like a dream. I can't let it sink in, not yet. It had felt like days, but it's only been hours since I heard her scream my name, hours since I saw her carrying out the box of glass cups to set in our new house. Her red curls bouncing, spiraling around her shoulders. A light amused expression was on her face and...

_Stop._ I clench my fist. I bolted out of my chair and turned down the hallway.

The portal loomed over us and stuck onto the institute. Thousands of shades of blue swirled together with strips of white in between them to separate them. Everyone was here. Izzy passed the piece of paper to the others and they examined it.

"Is it familiar at all?"

"I've never seen it before," Luke says with a shake of his head. "It's not even a rune."

"It looks like something out of a human horror story. Like a sigil or something," Jocelyn explains. "But why would we find this and not a rune of some sort?" Nobody had an answer, and I didn't want to wait for one. I wanted to be in Idris right now, handing someone the piece paper. I wanted them to tell me that they knew exactly what it was, and then they could trace it back to whoever took Clary.

"Let's go," I encourage. I stepped through the portal first.

I stumble into Idris. The portal wasn't confirmed, and because of that, Lake Lyn stretched out before me. It shimmered in the high sun, like diamonds were floating on top of it. Trees higher than the buildings on New York climbed to the clouds. Six people tumbled in after me. I stopped Simon from falling as he burst through after Izzy, he wasn't good at these things.

We set out. I was ahead of the group. I couldn't help but feel alone in this, like all of them doubted me but they didn't have the heart to tell me. I didn't care. This symbol was a lead, and it was the only lead that we had so far. Another hour was another day for me, a minute was an eternity. I can't waste a second not looking for her.

Images flashed before me. There was nothing I could do to ward them off. Images of her bloody and broken. The Clary I loved wouldn't have slouched in defeat, she would have stood even if she knew that she would never live, but this Clary did. Sobs racked her small body that curled in a fetal position. My mind was making her smaller and weaker, therefore building up guilt and more guilt. She cried my name, the same cry that escaped her lips before they yanked her unconscious body through the portal. My breathing began to get heavy until Isabelle stuck a hand onto my shoulder.

"Hey. It's okay. This is a clue, okay? We're gonna follow this lead, and it _will_ help us find Clary. And if it doesn't," I suck in a breath. "We will find another one, and follow that one. There isn't a single person out there that is being searched for more than her, okay? I'm sure once the council meeting gets over, my father will make it more of a priority."

I hung onto Isabelle's every word until we made it to Alicante. People let us through the wards and soon enough we were walking the familiar streets. I didn't look in the direction of our house, I couldn't.

We walked right up to Robert's house, the same one we took refuge in before Valentine died. We all stood in a group around the door, an odd sight. My fist pounded on the door, trying to channel my anger into the knock to release some. The door opened after thirty seconds of knocking.

"What?" Robert irritably answers the door. He is still dressed in his Council robes, his face hung in aging wrinkles and framed by greying hair. A look of surprise is slapped across his face as he sees his children, and others, standing in front of him.

"Robert. We need to talk to you." I was the first to speak.

"I already have your call, and I'm sorry. I really am, but can you please come back after I'm finished dealing with what the Council meeting left me."

"And what was that?" Isabelle asks curiously. She hasn't been talking much with her father, still mad about what had happened between him and her mother, and the questioned seemed to surprise him a little.

Robert shakes his head. "I can't say a word, not unless you have anything to do with it, and I'm sure you don't. Plus, it would be a burden you guys shouldn't have to bear at this time." A look of pity flashed across his face and he directs it towards me, but I ignore it. The door began to close, but I jammed my foot in it, startling him.

"This is serious. We have some kind of evidence." I unfold the paper. A part of me expects to be shot down, because of all the things that have happened in the past, but I show him the paper, throwing all of my confidence and hope into it. The sigil that I drew was copied onto the piece of paper by Isabelle's careful handwork. She wasn't an artist, but years of using runes would leave her capable of doing a good job. He takes it, his eyes widening. His lips part a little as he drinks in the image before him, his eyes scanning it like it's something he's seen before.

"Come in."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Clary's POV**

I woke with a sickly feeling. Not that I expected differently. My insides ached badly. It felt like my intestines were squirming inside of me, wanting to leave my body just as much as I wanted to. There was food next to me. I cursed myself for not waking up in time to see who put it there. I wasn't hungry for it, though. I flopped back down on my back, wanting to throw up. My hands pressed to my stomach to put pressure, the way you do sometimes to a bleeding cut, but it made it worse. I kept my hands at my sides, giving up on feeling good.

I felt something twitch. But it wasn't me. It was something inside me. I pull my shirt up to see a huge black spot cover the skin in the middle of my stomach. It pulsed. Once. Twice. Three times. My breathing got heavier, and the pulse spread over my body in waves. Harder, faster, heavier, until I was screaming from pain. It continued to beat, like a heart, and with each beat sent cold shock of pain everywhere. A headache bloomed in my head and my hands went up to my head and pressed savagely onto my temples.

And then it stopped. All at once. The lightening in my veins ceased to exist, the headache pounded itself away. My body went cold, like I was dipped into an ice bath. My limbs froze. I couldn't move them.

_What's happening?_ I had meant to say that out loud, but I couldn't. It just wouldn't work. Nothing would.

_If you had used the lotion, it would have made things less painful. But I knew you wouldn't._ The voice took shape now, I could easily point out who would be saying it. Not like I knew the person, but it was the tone of voice that was used by both my father and my brother.

_Why are you doing this to me? What are you doing?!_ I struggled against the mental barriers that held me down, but nothing happened. I wasn't in control of my body anymore. I didn't know who was.

_Johnathan Morgenstern was a smart man. So was valentine. But his warriors had one thing in common, and that was location and time. Valentine had to wait until the wards were down to bring his army in. And Johnathan hadn't had an attack on Alicante like Valentine did, but again, Valentine had to wait. I don't have to. Not only are you ten times stronger, but you will be able to enter any place you would like. And the transformation took a matter of hours._

I let the words sink in. _Hours_. It's only been a matter of hours since I saw Jace. Then blurted in my head: _But what is inside of me?_

_A demon soul is taking over your own. The more it occupies you, the more it begins to conform to you. It will ratify your body, and your free will. We have done something this a long time ago, except they weren't humans. They fell easily because they were tied to one person. But these are not tied to anyone, but they all have the same purpose._

_And what is that?_ I ask, still struggling against it.

_To kill shadowhunters. There was a time before them, and there will be a time after them. They may resurface again, and it will always be a never ending battle between us, but for now, we will show them what we can do. There is someone we have to pay a visit to._

I stood just before Idris, on the border of France, in shadowhunter gear, ironically. I could see the ripple in the portal that transported most humans across Alicante and into Germany. I wanted to reach out and touch it, but I couldn't. I wasn't controlling my body anymore. A demon was. It was a shattering thought, and it seems like the only thing that was mine was my thoughts.

The demon walked into Idris without even a sting.

The world flashed before my eyes. Green rolling hills slid in waves around me. I could just barely make out the houses. I had come in between Lake Lyn and Alicante, and ahead of me was a trail that Luke and I walked on, leading us left into the town. The demon took the trail, and started walking. I couldn't look anywhere else, because I couldn't turn my head or blink my own eyes, but as Alicante loomed near I began to feel nervous. More that nervous, I began to feel horribly sick. I can tell that the demon wasn't here just to talk. And from what the man said about visiting someone, I was guessing that Robert Lightwood was that someone.

_Stop! Please! Now!_ I yell, but the only place it echoes is in my head.

**Jace's POV**

Magnus left.

"Where are you going?" Alec asked.

"To see Caterina. She might be able to help with a tracking spell." The door closes behind him.

"I've seen it before." Robert Lightwood declares as we step into the house. It's the same looking, hardly any decoration except for some pictures of Isabelle, Alec, and even little Max. The robes seemed to weigh him down even though his broad shoulders can still be seen under them. "They've been reappearing over and over again. They've been imprinted on the sites that have been attacked."

"Wait, other places have been attacked like this?" Isabelle asks.

"Yes. There has been a couple shadowhunters missing, but I suspected it was some trick of a demon, a greater demon. Until I found this." He reaches atop his desk and pulls out a lotion bottle.

"Hand moisturizer?" Simon remarks.

"No. It has demon powder mixed into it. We don't know what it's used for." He sets it back down. "The mark seems to be a Sigil of some sort, not a rune at all. It's obviously a demon, but we can't figure out why they are using a mundane symbol. I mean, why not demonic runes?"

"Maybe because there isn't supposed to be a purpose other than to show their power." I throw in. Why waist a rune on a building?

"That is true." Robert nodded. "But it just isn't normal. This whole thing isn't."

"That's what the Council meeting was about? The disappearances?" Izzy starts. "And you knew about Clary being missing, and you didn't invite us to the meeting?" Isabelle demands, her voice raising an octave. "You told us that people go missing all the time, you dismissed as if she weren't family! As if she wasn't engaged to your son! AS IF SHE NEVER STOPPED TWO WARS IN A ROW." Alec placed a hand in Isabelle's shoulder, but she shook it off irritably. "She is not some shadowhunter that went missing. She was a hero and a family member that got stolen from us, and you aren't doing anything about it-"

Suddenly, the door burst down. Two feet clad in demon hunting boots stamped onto it, holding it in place as if it were a wild surfboard. Hands were curled to the side and the thick jacket fit tight around her. Red curls flamed from her face. Clary. But it wasn't Clary. It couldn't be. She didn't own black eyes, and she certainly didn't own the sickly look that came with the grin she wore proudly.

**Clary's POV**

I stood before them. Every single one of them looked at me with such revelation that you would think I had slapped them all. I was the last thing they expected, and yet the first thing they wanted. I could feel the tight seal of my lips that formed a grin, but I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream and thrash myself out of this body. I wanted to run up and be enveloped in Jace's arms, but neither of that was going to happen.

My body advanced into them, a hard stare fixed on Robert Lightwood. The shocked faces continued to render speechless until Isabelle ran up to me.

"Clary!" So much relief was thrown into that word in a matter of seconds, it startled me. Her arms reached for me, spreading wide to encompass my body, but the demon hands were quicker. I wanted to hug her, but instead I grabbed at her waist and shoulder and threw her hard against the wall.

_Stop it! Not Isabelle! Stop, please!_ I plead but it doesn't listen. Her body hits the wall and comes crashing down in a non-graceful way, I could hear bones crack. She twitches a little as Simon reaches her, so I know that she isn't dead. Her arm is in an unnatural position, blood seeps from her hair.

The others look at me with dismay, and confusion. Lots of confusion. Jace looks like he was ready to kill something, to kill _me_, but he doesn't. I couldn't either, if I were him and he were me. I would die first.

_No. No, this can't be happening._

Luke and my mother attempt to come near me, but with a look I silence them and pin them to the wall. Their limbs wriggle like a bug under a thumb. They silently choke from lack of air.

I walk towards Robert once again. The grin spreads even more. Robert Lightwood backs up slowly. Alec starts forward, the same time Jace does. Alec gets there first, though. I crouch low at the last moment and seize his legs. I throw him up and over myself. He lands on his side, and with a crunch his shoulder is shattered. He sucks in a breath, hands clawing for a stele. Jace was next.

He stutters for a moment, something I've never seen him do in battle, but continues towards me.

_Please, no. Not Jace. Please, I'm begging you! NOT Jace._

"PLEASE!" I scream before the demon grabs ahold of Jace. It lifts him up in the air, but stops. It twitches, _I_ twitch, like a robot that malfunctioned. All of us, the demon, Jace, and myself seemed frozen in time.

_Please._ I continue to beg.

The demon sets him down gently, I let out a breath and release a small amount of tension, but that was a big mistake. Just as his feet hit the floor it knocks him over the back of the couch, unconscious or maybe really dazed. Nothing seems to be broken, but he lays limp. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought that he was sleeping from the position of him. It lastly turns to Robert for the final time and huffs out a breath of frustration. Robert seemed to be stilled into place, his feet not responding to anything.

The voice that spoke was nothing of a human or shadowhunter. It was purely and simply evil. "_This is your warning, Robert Lightwood, head Concil. We are growing stronger. We are growing smarter. We are growing bigger. We are growing_." The voice growled, and unaware of what it was doing, I look down to see that the sigil was scraped into Robert's hand, blood welled around the edges and spilt down his wrist.

It backed away from him and ran out the door.

**Jace's POV**

I heard her voice over and over again in my mind. The word please tore through me as I fell backwards onto the couch. I felt dazed for a second, then I heard her talk and it shocked me back to life. I was on my feet in seconds, but she was already out the door. Robert looked like he had just given birth to kittens, but I wasn't paying attention to him much. I chased after Clary.

I could see in the way that she ran that she could reach speeds that wasn't even shadowhunterly possible, but she was taking it slow. She didn't know I was behind her. She puts up her hood and walks around buildings, heading toward Lake Lyn. I follow as silently as possible.

I turn right when she goes straight, and sprint around buildings until I know I'm in front of her. I come out of the building to her right, and grab ahold her shoulders.

A surprise look on her face flashes before me, and then she screeches. It wasn't a human scream but rather an animal yell. Her black eyes widen and her hands claw at me.

"_I may not be able to kill _you_, shadowhunter. But don't think I can't crush your bones into pieces and have you live_." Her voice had two tones to it, the undertone was metallic, sharp, and an octave higher.

"Clary." I tighten my grip on her shoulders. She has me by the shoulders too, her small frame taught with unnatural strength.

"_Clary isn't here_-" It choked savagely, like it had swallowed black tar. Its grip loosened, and then it dug its hands into me and sent me flying against the wall. I blink, and she's gone.

**Isabelle's POV**

I reach for a stele, but Simon is already there and drawing an _iratze _on me. I puke, I couldn't help myself, all over the wall. I get into a sitting position, but Clary is already gone. As is Jace. I panic, but Simon holds me down to the ground.

"Isabelle, stop."

"Jace. Where is he? Did she take him?"

"He ran after her," He informed.

"We have to find him. He can't be taken by her-"

"Isabelle, your head is bleeding. Badly."

"Head wounds always bleed a lot, I'm fine." I attempt to stand, but I sway, and Simon catches me under the elbows.

"Please, Izzy. Stop moving." My arms ache at where he clutches it. I see my brother on the ground drawing an _iratze_ on himself. With the help of Simon, I go over to him.

"What did she do to you?"

"Shattered my shoulder." He spoke between clenched teeth. He finished the rune. Simon busied himself with drawing a blood loss rune on the back of my neck. Luke and Jocelyn were still catching their breath, tears flowing from Jocelyn's eyes. A startled sound interrupted the eerie silence and we looked over at my father with blood on his hands like he had put on a fresh scarlet glove. The sigil was carved into his skin.

At that moment Jace burst into the room and looked at us.

"Jace?" I ask. His lips are parted a little in disbelief and he barely shook his head.

"No." He answers the questions that were never asked, his voice hollow. _Is Clary here?_ No. _Can Clary be saved?_ No.

"What do we do now?" Jocelyn asks, her voice is hoarse. Everyone had a defeated aura hanging around them. Arms were limp at their sides. Lips pulled into a grim expression.

"What did she say to you, Robert?" Luke asks. We turn to my dad once again.

"She, _it_, said _we are growing_. In numbers, strength, capabilities. Something along those lines."

"It was a warning. Like the attacks on the institute's with Sabastian. They are getting more and more people."

"Are we going to do what we did last time? Hole up in Idris while the world burns?" I said, not kindly.

"Last time we knew what he wanted. I mean, it's obvious that they want shadowhunters dead, they always want that. But we don't know who is behind it. We don't know their weakness."

"They picked Clary for a reason, right? They know the relationships between her and us. Maybe they are using that. Relationships to brake us down." Simon made a point.

"That happened last time, when others couldn't kill them because they wore the faces of their family members. But the difference is that they were already dead. Clary isn't. She is still alive." Jace said it like it was a fact, like nothing could me more true.

"How can you say that?" Robert looked at Jace. "She almost killed all of us, she broke your brother's and sister's bones, and you still think she's coming back? Why?"

"Because she put me down. I saw a look flash before her eyes as she faced me, and she couldn't hurt me. Clary is inside of it somewhere, and she had enough strength to stop. It doesn't necessarily mean she favors me over Isabelle, or her mother, but it means that she had _some_ control." Jace's jaw was tight.

"Well, we need to report this. As procedure, you all have to come with me."

The door opens and Magnus steps through. He takes one look at us.

"What did I miss?"

**NOTE: Review please! Tell me what you think will happen next? Thanks :)**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 **NOTE: Sorry that I switch POV often, it's easier that way I guess? P.S I realized that I said Robert was the Consul, but he is in fact the inquisitor. I've fixed the mistake, Jia Penhallow is the Consul. :)**

**Clary's POV**

"Let me out! Let me out! I swear on the angel, let me out!" I pounded against the outline of a door. I had finally regained control of myself, that or the demon didn't want anything to do with me now, and now my hands were bloody and bruised from beating on the door again. "Let me go you sick bastard!"

_Yelling fowl names at me will not increase the chance of your release_.

Fury built up inside me and I slammed down on the door again and let an angry growl escape me.

_How did you escape the bond between you and your demon?_

"I don't know." Anger was spilling from me in waves. "But I'll do it again, because you can't control me*!"

_The difference between you and your brother is quite comical. He is calm, and sensible. You seemed to be controlled by your emotions completely._

"Sabastian Morgenstern was evil." A pang hit me in the stomach.

_But Johnathan Morgenstern was not?_

"No," I respond. "He was my brother."

_Like I said, ruled by passion. But fortunately for us, emotions make the demon bonds easier to attach._

"Why are you doing this? I mean, I know demons hate shadowhunters and all, but why go to this level? Why now?"

_Like I said, there was an incident a long time ago, one that involved your family as well as the Lightwoods, Herondales, and Carstairs. A Herondale killed my fellow demon Marbus. I am here for revenge. And your relationship with this new Herondale fits so perfectly it too could be comical. At first I wanted to kill him. At first it was all about him, but now it has become something bigger. A new revolution._

I thought of Jace. Of his face when I attacked him, almost hurting him as badly as I did Isabelle and Alec, and my parents. I thought of when he caught me in Idris and how I had forced the demon to stop talking, to let go of him. Because I couldn't think of anything worse that hurting yet another person I loved.

'_And it hasn't even been a day yet_.' I thought.

_No. Your work is far from over._

**Simon's POV**

The council meeting was large. Larger than the one held for my Ascendation ceremony. Robert stood in robes in the center of the stage of the Accords Hall. Shadowhunters stood from wall to wall, making the place so full of hot air, it was hard to breathe. Everyone who witnessed the incident with Clary stood on stage with him, along with the Consul and the representatives of the downworlders alliance. Luke was removed, though, and Bat was put in his place.

"So, we have called you all together because there has been another incident concerning the attacks on the mundane world. This attack however, was made in Idris, and we have the witnesses up on stage with us." Jia points to us, and I see Isabelle twitch for a second. I have never seen Isabelle try and suppress her fire that burned inside of her, but she did it well. She was angry. We all were. She was wondering why we were having a meeting, and not tracking Clary down. I was wondering the same thing too, but I was also curious as to what they had to say. Jia continues. "Because the inquisitor is filed as a witness, he will not be handling the mortal sword." She clasps her hands together and faces the crowd. Questions start coming.

"Who was the attacker?" The question was the loudest.

"From what they have told me, the attacker was the body of Clarissa Fairchild." Everyone blanches at her name. How can it be this morning that I saw her at her house? It felt like eons.

"The body of Clarissa? What do you mean by that?" A women with a sharp face stands, asking questions most people agree with.

"The will of her was not entirely her own. It seems to be that she was possessed."

"A demon can't possess a shadowhunter. We have angel blood, it can't be possible."

"Well, as we continually find out, there is always exceptions to the rules. Now, if we can start with the questioning, I'm sure it will answer most of your questions." She seemed eager to not answer questions anymore.

She goes over to the table where the Mortal Sword is held and gently picks it up with her fingertips. She walks to Robert Lightwood first, and he takes the hilt in his hands expertly, having seen so many people do it himself.

"Robert Lightwood, what is your relationship with Clarissa Fairchild?"

"She is my son's fiancé and a family friend."

"Did you know about her disappearance before the attacks on the human world?"

"No. I was informed that she disappeared this morning." I swear he throws a glance at Isabelle, but she doesn't see it. She is staring at her feet.

"So you can justify that she has been missing for about five hours now?"

"Yes."

"And when was the last time you saw her before the incident?"

"It was when Jace and herself talked with me about living arrangements. They were going to move into a house here in Idris." Jace flinches.

"And can you describe what happened in your house minutes ago?"

"Yes. She came through the door, and proceeded to make her way to me to give a message."

"And what was that message?"

"She, or the demon really, said that 'they were growing'. And continued to scratch the sigil into my wrist."

"And then what happened?" pressed Jai.

"She ran out the door and out of Idris. Jace attempted to chase her down, but he couldn't catch her."

"What did you do after the accident?"

"We drew _iratzes_ and reported it to the clave."

"Thank you, Robert Lightwood." He releases the sword.

She questions all of us. Our stories were the same, obviously, until she gets to Jace.

"Jace Herondale, please take the sword." He does. I can see the tenseness of his shoulders as he feels the shock of the sword travel his into body, wrapping around muscles and holding tight like the truth was a physical thing it could pull from you. "Can you tell me what you relationship was with Clary?"

"She was- is- my fiancé."

"And it's true that you of the people there, with the exception of Simon, was unharmed?"

"Yes."

"And can you please tell me why?"

"I have a theory that she is still living and that unlike the Endarkened soldiers she still has a chance to be saved."

"And what did she do exactly that made you think that? How do you know that she gave you special attention by not hurting you?"

"She was about to hurt me, but something flashed across her face- a human expression- but she threw me aside, without malice."

"And it's true that you chased her afterwards?"

"Yes."

"And what happened?"

"I attempted to get her under control, and as she spoke to me, she choked. She let go of me, and then vanished before I saw what had happened."

"Thank you, Jace Herondale." He released the Mortal Sword, and stepped aside. The questions were so formal that it was odd to see him answer without a sarcastic sneer to his tone of voice.

"Any more questions?"

A lot of people stood up, but one person, same as before, stood out more.

"How are we to stop this from continuing?"

"The approach we made with Sabastian and his warriors seemed to be effective. We will go in hunting parties, warn the institutes outside of Idris, and have them move into here until further notice. At least, I think that's what we shall do." Jia threw her hands up for question.

"Why don't we track Clarissa?"

"We've already tried, it doesn't work." Magnus chimed in. Apparently the visit to Catarina failed.

"Did she leave any clue? Anything at all to where she was going?"

"No." Jace shook his head. "She didn't." I could tell that with each passing minute he was growing antsy with anticipation. He wanted to be actively looking, not answering questions that led nowhere.

"My idea is that we send search parties as soon as possible." Jia announced, and Jace looked up at her, more curious now. "We will warn the other institutes, but meanwhile we will group up. I think it's fair that each group contain one member of Clarissa's family as well as adopted family. Discuss this."

The room instantly was a flutter of chatter and waving hands. Jia turned to us and walked closer.

"Is that okay? That you guys split up and join search parties? You guys above all would know signs of her appearance, and she's more likely to come to you like she did earlier. If there was any way we could search and wait for her to come-"

"We can't just wait for her to attack again." Jace cut in, using the word 'attack' lightly. "We need to find her. Find her, find the heart of the problem. Was there any other captured nephlim in the attacks on mundane shops?"

"No, almost, but no. They didn't seem to be ravenous for people, but rather looking for someone."

"Makes sense, you know. Clary was the main reason why the wars had stopped, it's seems fitting that they would take our biggest heroin from us, leaving us crippled in some way." I say, letting my thoughts become words. "How long is it before they come for Jace? Isabelle? Alec? Myself? I'm trying to be immodest, but I think I make a good point." I shrug, to try and lesson my answer so that if it was stupid- which it sounded kind of stupid now that I said it- they wouldn't much thought.

"Simon does. I mean, you said it yourself." Isabelle points out to Jia. "They were looking for someone before. Maybe they were looking for one of our faces, and Clary happened to be the first one they found?"

"Which is why I want you guys in search parties." Jia said. "And now that you mention it, it would be nice if you were with people at all times. If the clave agrees, will you agree?"

We all nod.

And they do. They do agree.

"You all are dismissed," Jia announces. "Tomorrow we will form search teams, be here at twelve and you will be distributed then. Thank you." The clave members begin to clear out, mobs of people making their way slowly to the exit.

"What now?" Isabelle asks. We all look at each other.

"We can start by searching in the direction she left from," Jace said.

"Like foot prints or something? Don't you think she would have used a portal?"

"Good point," Luke says, an arm around a very tired Jocelyn.

"We should look anyways," Jace said. He also looked very tired, and very annoyed. He starts towards the exit, and then we all follow. Alec first, then Isabelle and I. Luke and Jocelyn hung behind, not that they weren't up for looking, but I saw that tears form in Jocelyn's eyes. I overhear their conversation, not that they cared really. It was on all of our minds.

"It's only been half a day and feel like we've lost her. Like we've been missing her for a long time," Jocelyn sputters in between uneven breathes.

"We'll find her, okay? Or she'll find us and we'll be ready then."

"She looked so much like her brother." A shock ran through me, mainly because Jocelyn was right. She _did_ resemble Sabastian in the way she stood, her smile, the hard glint in her eyes where it should have been a soft green as harmless as falling leaves. The way she walked, constantly confident, rather than spurts of confidence and embarrassment. Sabastian would have been proud of his little sister, and I however, was not sure who I felt about this. It had to turn out good, right? It always did. Clary would be back here by tomorrow, when we sent search parties around. She would be back and her and Jace would move into their home and possibly tutor the students at the training center in Alicante. That's what was going to happen. It had to.

**Short Chapter... Like 1000 words short. lol sooorry**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Clary's POV **

************_One Week Later_

I had busied myself with memorizing the patterns that were painted on the wall. It was a completely white wall, but the wood that it was painted on had groves and dips that created images. If I looked at them for too long, they would dance and bend, and it would give me a headache. I was so tired. You would think that you would have loads of energy if you didn't do anything, but that wasn't true for me. I felt drained, physically and mentally, emotionally as well.

I hated this feeling. Not being able to do anything. I hated waiting, even if it meant that Jace might come and save me, I didn't like the fact of relying on someone else to fix my problems. I didn't admire princesses and their need to be saved every minute, but that's all it came down to. I was powerless, and the only way something was going to happened was if Jace came and somehow brake the barrier, or if the demon came to possess me. The latter wasn't an option I took an interest to.

I had barely eaten. I couldn't tell now weather it was days that had passed or years. I knew it wasn't years, but it sure felt like it.

_We need more people_. The voice made me jump in my own skin. It hadn't talked to me for days.

"Huh?"

_We need more people. You are going to retrieve them._ I shook my head, slowly at first as thoughts came to mind, and then vigorously as those thoughts slowly contained bloodshed and dead Nephilim. Nephilim possessed like me.

"No."

A cold sensation flooded over me.

"Please no."

I felt the demon presence creep into me.

"No!"

My body jolted and I no longer was in control. The demon painstakingly jerked me into a stand. I found that once the strength left my body the welts and pain stayed behind, so everything was painful until the demon entered me.

I blacked out, like someone was literally covering me with a mask to keep me from seeing anything. And when it was done, when my body was finished from whooshing and twisting, I ended up in Idris.

I usually wore different clothes, and this time I was only half dressed in gear. A leather jacket with my hood up that concealed my ratty hair, but dark jeans and simple shoes to make me look like a standard Idris resident that you'd pass by on the streets when walking to a coffee shop of a weapon store. And an obvious sword in an ordinary hilt that smacked against my thigh was fastened to my waist as I maneuvered my way around buildings. My heart pounded, well not literally, but I imagine if I was in control of my body it would be.

I walked a familiar path, one that passed the shadowhunter academy and the accords hall. Nobody paid any attention me, even though I expected someone to see through the shadow of the hood, or even the way I walked and recognize me.

We took turns around shops until I came up to a way to familiar house, with too familiar steps that lead up to a porch. My house. Mine and Jace's. One that was supposed to be lived in after we got married.

_Married_.

A sickening feeling spread throughout me at the thought of never getting a wedding. Kids. A life with Jace, or, a life in general.

Fortunately we passed the house. The demon made a decision to not go in there today. We passed the houses until we found a cluster of people right by the border that divided Alicante from the rest of Idris. I swooped around them, so that I was on the other side of them. I came with a running start as I started screaming, still fully concealed.

"Help! Help me!"

These people looked at me instantly.

"There is a hoard of demons right outside of Idris! I can't fight them all, please!"

They took action immediately, and whatever thoughts about who I was, if there were any, vanished. They pulled their swords and ran with me into the supposed battle.

Once we were out of Idris, I turned on them. I whipped around, yanking my hood down to expose my hair and face. Some of them looked at me wide-eyed in recognition, and some of them looked at me in horror.

I lashed out at two of them, striking them across the face and creating bloody cuts across their cheeks. The other two took action and drew their swords, but I was much faster.

I slammed heads down on the ground, and the two who drew swords were instantly on the ground clutching their sides as my sword grazed them. Two of them were unconscious, and I did the same to all but one. I took the only one that was still responding into my clutch and bore down on him with my eyes.

"_You will send a message to the Clave. Tell them that they are too easily fooled._"

I didn't think the message was all that clever, but it got the point across. He trembled as I withered him with my glare, and scratched the sigil into his neck.

Jace's POV

A week. It's been a week. We've formed the search parties, some grouping in small groups of four, and some grouping in quantities of twenty to look for Clary. We made sure to show them what she looked like, so between Jocelyn and a picture I had of her in my bedroom that I had confiscated, everyone knew her face.

We searched outside of Idris, in Idris, in New York, around New York. But you couldn't really look everywhere. She was probably right in front of us, the way she had been when she stormed into Idris and knocked down our door. Right in front of us, yet we couldn't even keep up with her. I would have ran forever to catch her, but I knew it would be a waste of time, and if there was anything I could save besides Clary, it would be time.

And then, he came back.

This shadowhunter was a horrid sight to see. Blood welled and pooled down his neck while his clothes were nothing but scraps, the skin that showed was also covered in red.

"S-she came!" He coughed, although something about him didn't seem right. Like the energy from him was drained completely, not something you saw in most shadowhunter's eyes. Usually it was excitement from battle, but this man...

"Who? Clary?" I demanded, none too kindly.

"Yes." He panted. "She took the other three shadowhunters and left me with the message."

"And what is the message?" Another shadowhunter asked.

"That the Clave is too easily fooled."

"How did this happen, were you guys out of Idris? I thought all parties were to meet here today?"

"We were inside Idris, right on the border, but she led us out and had us thinking she was some helpless shadowhunter that couldn't fight off the demons."

"We need to report this." Jia said, entering the conversation.

I nodded, but all I could think about was how they got to see her, but I didn't. They could have had her, but they let her slip through their fingers. I shook my head as a bile taste rose in my throat.

"I'm going to go back to the site, just to check." I left before she could assign anyone to go with me, like I needed a chaperone or something.

I took a slow jog over to the border between the forest and Alicante. There was some footsteps that trailed out into the forest. I thought about going out there, running into the mundane world to look, but I just knew that there was nothing I could find. Instead, something was pulling me in the opposite direction.

I ended up in my old-new house. The one I got with Clary.

I was hesitant at first, but then plowed right into the doorway, and shut it behind me. My buzzer rang dimly, the one that sensed demonic activity. I put a hand over my pocket, and judging from the amount of buzzing, it wasn't high. It was like only a half a demon was present.

And then I saw her.

She wasn't looking at me, I'm not sure if she knew I was there. I think all of it had to do with the fact that she was inspecting the granite counters like they were the most spectacular thing in the world. She ran a hand over it, smoothing it down with her fingertips like you would do an old picture when reminiscing. The expression on her face changed millions of times in each second, like she was literally battling for her own emotions as well.

"_I know you're there, Jace Herondale_." She snapped up, her eyes filling in a milky onyx color.

"I know."

"_Stupid of you, really. I can kill you easily_."

"I don't think you can." I tested my luck, which was what I always did in situations like this.

She whorled around and hissed a snake-like sound that sent shivers down my spine. I didn't draw my sword. She may not be able to kill me, but I could not kill her either. How did Clary do this? When I was not myself, did Clary suffer this much too? No, this is worse. At least I still loved Clary, at least I still had somewhat of a conscious, this _thing_ was purely demonic, no trace of Clary except for the physical body.

"_You underestimate me_." She fast walks over to me.

"I think you underestimate Clary." I spit before she can get any closer.

At the mention of her name a flicker of recognition soars over her face, a flicker of humanity, but then it's gone. She lounges, but I am just as quick.

I duck under her outstretched arms and push her back into the wall. It hurts me to see, but I do it. I back into the counter, not sure if my luck was with me or not. I felt behind me the midnight flower seed, in a small pot. It had sprouted now, and a small green plant emerged from the dark rich soil. I had meant to give it to her after we got married, when I brought her home for the first time, but now I clutched it in my hand and planned to smash it into her if she came at me again. My body shook as she advanced towards me.

I brought the plant around, swinging it in an arc the length of my arm, and grazed it across her cheeks and nose. A sizzling sound bubbled on her face as she screeches and rears back. I see a red burn mark swipe across her face just below her eyes.

I stand stunned, clutching the flower pot in my hand tightly. It _burnt_ her. The leaves _scorched_ her skin.

"Midnight flower." I mumbled.

She squeals a sound of outrage and pain, and whips her hands toward me. I duck and swivel around out of her reach and her boy slams and cracks the granite counter top. Her eyes gleam black and I think I see red tint her eyes for a moment out of rage, but then she is swinging at me again.

That's when the windows and door burst full of black figures clad in leather- shadowhunters.

Clary looks around her wildly, scanning her eyes with a nasty glare, something only she can make look sexy. But I shake that thought off before anyone of them can get to her. She is too distracted to notice my body close to hers.

"Don't!" I stop a shadowhunter from swinging his blade into her head. He stops on a dime and looks at me with outrage and confusion. "Don't kill her! Grab her!" I twist around on my heel and loop my arms around her waist in a death grip. In another situation she might try and bat me off with petty attempts while I sling her over my shoulder, but this was not the case. She yanks out of my grip, but not once does she scrape skin and draw blood, and tumbled through the wall. She is covered with white dust and chunks of _adamas_ is scattered across the floor. But she is gone. Another hole was made through the wall behind it, and she is gone, leaving a room full of confused shadowhunters with their blades half in and half out of their sheaths


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

. **Clary's POV**

The burn mark left my skin bubbleing as I sprinted back. I burst through the portal, and the demonic spirit left me so when I came through to my cell I collapsed to the ground. I screamed, holding my face with my palms, the pain still being left behind. The pierceing sound of my voice almost drowned out the pain, but not quite.

**Jace's POV**

Everyone was disgruntled, some were mad at me for preventing her death, and others simply didn't know what was going on. I clutched the plant in my hands and raised it.

"This." They all stopped and stared. "This burnt her face."

"It... _burnt _her?" One of them raised his eyebrows at me, questioning me.

"Yes. It seared her skin on her face. It hurt her."

"A midnight flower. She didn't, no one, hinted at this before?"

"No."

"Did she hint at where she was going?" Another asked.

"No, she didn't really talk to me much." I was growing impatient again, I wanted to be doing something again. The fight kept my mind distracted from the sadness, but now that I realize she is gone again it starts seaping into me again.

"Look around the place, find anything-"

"Hey!" Someone waved. "Right here." His finger jabed the place where she had been touching the granite surface. I take three long strides over there and lean over the counter. There, etched into the surface, was a picture. It was a building of some sort, the lines were jaggedy, but you can make out the multiple roofs and long widows.

"Someone draw a rememberence rune, we have to report this," I say, and they listen.

**Isabelle's POV**

"Anything, Simon?" He looks so defeated, I don't even know why I asked.

"No." He slams a sword against his thigh in fustration. "Nothing. Not a single thing." He shakes his head. "Anything from Jace?"

"I haven't talked to him yet. But maybe they've had another sighting?"

"Unlikely." As soon as he mutters the words, I see a group of startled shadowhunters. Usually they would be tattered and bloody, but they just seemed utterly confused.

"Hey." I marched up to them, some of them skimmed down my body before looking me in the eyes. "What's going on?"

"Another sighting. But this time Jace found something."

My bones went still but I refused the shock that ran up my spine to stuper my words. "And?"

"He burnt her. The midnight flower he swung at her burnt her." The fact that Jace would try to hurt Clary was stunning enough -even in the state that she was in, but hearing that her face was scared from a plant was a thing in itself.

"Details, now." I grabed a hanful of the nearest guy's fabric and yanked his shoulder towards me. Simon made his way to my side and listened in intently.

"When we got there Jace was batteling Clary. He really didn't want to hurt her, he swung out of self defence only. It was just when we arrived that we found that her face was _steaming_. He had skimmed her cheeck and she reared back. The fight was about over by then, she ran. That's all I know." He gathered himself together and ran up the croud he was walking with origionally.

Simon and I both shared a look, but hunted Jace down the minute after.

"Jace!" I run up to him, but he slumped.

"Not now Isabelle, I'll talk to you later." A pain looked must have slashed across my face for he retraced his words. "Please, I just need a minute. I need to talk to them about what had happened, and then I'll answer any questions for you. I'm sorry."

He dissapeared among the crowd, leaving me a Simon hopless bystanders.

**Jace's POV**

Everything happened all at once. Each soldier gave their piece of the story and I gave mine. They were all considered before we could acually prove that the midnight flower had proved as some kind of defence against her and her kind. The missing soldiers had no lead, but all of that was nearly forgetten as I brough this up.

"It seems to me that we have an advantage. Now all we need to do is condense this flower into a weapon more suitable for a person, and then attemped to locate this Clarrissa Fairchild."

"_No_." I say loud, loud enough for people to hear me. I explain myself before anyone can think of me as possessed or a traitor of some sort. "We can't kill. You can't." I shake my head.

"Death is cruel, but when nessicary can be bittersweet."

"Nothing is sweet about death." I retort back to him with anger.

"Not when you get the short half of the stick." The same person replied, who happened to be some man from the audience. I wanted to punch him hard in the nose for even bringing up the idea of killing Clary. I couldn't think the words without tasteing bile.

"We shall do what he says, but we will in all attemps not kill this girl, or any that seem of the same disease as her. We will capture them and study them, for a cure. Discuss this." Jia said and the room went into a noisy chatter.

At the end of the day, they decided to go through with his plan, all except for the part of killing. I would have been all the way relived if it had not been for the fact that they would allow the death of her if it were in complete self defence. That still angered me, and I promied myself that _I_ would be the one to find her. I would capture her and not kill her, and bring her back so they can fix her and take back the Clary that everyone loved. The Clary that ended wars, not started them .


End file.
